Serie A | AC Milan 1-0 Roma: Diavolo survive scare to win Scudetto battle | OneFootball

AC Milan caught Roma in joint second place to move within a point of leaders Napoli thanks to Strahinja Pavlovic’s counter-attack and Mike Maignan parrying the Paulo Dybala penalty.

This was a showdown at the top of the table, as a win would put the Rossoneri level with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, while the Giallorossi could become sole leaders with a victory after Napoli’s 0-0 draw with Como. Santiago Gimenez, Christian Pulisic and Adrien Rabiot were still out of action, with Pervis Estupinan and Ardon Jashari only fit for the bench, so Rafael Leao formed an all-new partnership with Christopher Nkunku. Angelino and Evan Ferguson didn’t make the trip, but Artem Dovbyk was benched in favour of a False 9 approach.

There was a minute’s silence before kick-off for Giovanni Galeone, the former coach who died today at age 84, who was a mentor to both Max Allegri and Gasperini.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 02: Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Neil El Aynaoui of AS Roma during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Bryan Cristante was again in a slightly more advanced role and almost scored within two minutes, firing wide after a poor Mike Maignan clearance.

Neil El Aynaoui tested Maignan from outside the area following a Samuele Ricci stumble, while Evan Ndicka turned a glancing header wide from Matias Soulé’s assist, then Paulo Dybala fired wide from a very promising position when Koni De Winter missed the Zeki Celik cross.

Wesley also tested Maignan with an angled drive, while Dybala ballooned over from the edge of the area on the Brazilian’s pass.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 02: Rafael Leao of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Manu Kone of AS Roma during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Roma dominated, but paid for wasting so many scoring opportunities, as they were caught out on the counter sparked by Alexis Saelemaekers. Zeki Celik and Gianluca Mancini were out of position when Rafael Leao sprinted down the left and pulled back from the by-line for Strahinja Pavlovic to tap in from six yards.

Nkunku stung Mile Svilar’s gloves from a tricky angle, but Milan really should’ve doubled their lead moments later when Davide Bartesaghi intercepted a wayward pass to start the counter, then rolled across only for Youssouf Fofana to incredibly sweep wide undisturbed from 12 yards.

Samuele Ricci came close at the dawn of the second half, his volley skimming the upright from outside the area as a Manu Koné header fell kindly for him.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 02: Christopher Nkunku of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Wesley Franca of AS Roma during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Svilar then had to twice rush off his line in quick succession to deny Fofana and Leao, but his toughest save was one-on-one with Leao, somehow pushing the ferocious finish over the bar from point-blank range.

Nkunku cushioned the resulting corner onto the upright from six yards using his stomach, as the Modric set play practically ricocheted off him.

Milan nearly added another on 68 minutes with a chaotic move, which culminated in Mario Hermoso making a goal-line clearance on Leao from six yards after the Svilar save on Bartesaghi.

Roma were awarded a penalty when the Lorenzo Pellegrini free kick was charged down by Fofana’s raised arm in the wall. Maignan took a very long time to get on the line while Dybala waited on the spot, and it did enough to put La Joya off, because the goalkeeper guessed the right angle and palmed his spot-kick out of the bottom corner.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 02: Paulo Dybala of AS Roma takes a penalty kick which is saved by Mike Maignan of AC Milan (not pictured) during the Serie A match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

To make matters worse for Roma, Dybala tweaked a thigh muscle during that penalty incident and immediately told the bench he needed to come off.

Milan 1-0 Roma

Pavlovic 39 (M)

Saved penalty: Dybala 82 (R)